Sell me on Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the green space comment at all. SS has tons of gorgeous trails, parks, and playgrounds. Many are very close to downtown. No idea what you are talking about OP.

When we moved out of the city we bought a home in just off Sligo Creek in Silgo park hills. Cute neighborhood with interesting neighbors we thought was perfect counter to the city. In the 3 years we lived there-
1- a homeless man who slept in the park behind our house scared my wife a couple of time so she stop walking with the baby and jogging
2-our street parked car and back shed were broken into multiple time with bikes stolen out of the shed (master lock cut)
3-a car jacking block away
4-murder a block away on flower ave in the middle of the street
5-gun shots during the summer around the same flower Ave area multiple times
6-some lady at the church where we sent our son for preschool decided my wife took her parking spot and started a verbal altercation threatening to go physical. She was there for the food pantry while my wife had a small child. Even if my wife was oblivious is that really the place for thug life with kids around?

None of that has happened since we have moved to Bethesda but I will say our renters love the spot so it just shows different strokes for different folks

We have lived in DTSS for 4 years and have not experienced anything like the above. I have walked past homeless people on the way to the yoga studio, but they have never been threatening. We feel very safe in our apartment and walking around with our toddler. We have heard of stuff being stolen from vehicles (lock your cars people) and car jackings, but I wasn't aware this was specific to Silver Spring. I've seen reports of car jackings in a lot of places. Not doubting that you felt unsafe and had reason to do so - I do think some of the neighborhoods east of downtown Silver Spring are rough, and it dies vary by where in the Silver Spring area you are. Fortunately there are crime maps you can look at to get a sense if which neighborhoods are most impacted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the green space comment at all. SS has tons of gorgeous trails, parks, and playgrounds. Many are very close to downtown. No idea what you are talking about OP.

How accessible are they from Downtown SS? That is, how close are they from Colesville and Georgia? People throughout this thread have said Silver Spring in general has nice neighborhoods, just that Downtown Silver Spring is poorly planned and has little green space.

DP.
Ellsworth Park is on Colesville 3 blocks from Georgia.
Woodside Park is on Georgia 3 blocks from Colesville.
Fairview Park in on Spring 1 block from Georgia and 2 blocks from Colesville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the green space comment at all. SS has tons of gorgeous trails, parks, and playgrounds. Many are very close to downtown. No idea what you are talking about OP.

When we moved out of the city we bought a home in just off Sligo Creek in Silgo park hills. Cute neighborhood with interesting neighbors we thought was perfect counter to the city. In the 3 years we lived there-
1- a homeless man who slept in the park behind our house scared my wife a couple of time so she stop walking with the baby and jogging
2-our street parked car and back shed were broken into multiple time with bikes stolen out of the shed (master lock cut)
3-a car jacking block away
4-murder a block away on flower ave in the middle of the street
5-gun shots during the summer around the same flower Ave area multiple times
6-some lady at the church where we sent our son for preschool decided my wife took her parking spot and started a verbal altercation threatening to go physical. She was there for the food pantry while my wife had a small child. Even if my wife was oblivious is that really the place for thug life with kids around?

None of that has happened since we have moved to Bethesda but I will say our renters love the spot so it just shows different strokes for different folks

We have lived in DTSS for 4 years and have not experienced anything like the above. I have walked past homeless people on the way to the yoga studio, but they have never been threatening. We feel very safe in our apartment and walking around with our toddler. We have heard of stuff being stolen from vehicles (lock your cars people) and car jackings, but I wasn't aware this was specific to Silver Spring. I've seen reports of car jackings in a lot of places. Not doubting that you felt unsafe and had reason to do so - I do think some of the neighborhoods east of downtown Silver Spring are rough, and it dies vary by where in the Silver Spring area you are. Fortunately there are crime maps you can look at to get a sense if which neighborhoods are most impacted.

+1. And the PP's house in Sligo Park Hills is not what I would call DTSS. That is the area bordering Takoma Park off Piney Branch north of TPMS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the green space comment at all. SS has tons of gorgeous trails, parks, and playgrounds. Many are very close to downtown. No idea what you are talking about OP.

When we moved out of the city we bought a home in just off Sligo Creek in Silgo park hills. Cute neighborhood with interesting neighbors we thought was perfect counter to the city. In the 3 years we lived there-
1- a homeless man who slept in the park behind our house scared my wife a couple of time so she stop walking with the baby and jogging
2-our street parked car and back shed were broken into multiple time with bikes stolen out of the shed (master lock cut)
3-a car jacking block away
4-murder a block away on flower ave in the middle of the street
5-gun shots during the summer around the same flower Ave area multiple times
6-some lady at the church where we sent our son for preschool decided my wife took her parking spot and started a verbal altercation threatening to go physical. She was there for the food pantry while my wife had a small child. Even if my wife was oblivious is that really the place for thug life with kids around?

None of that has happened since we have moved to Bethesda but I will say our renters love the spot so it just shows different strokes for different folks

We have lived in DTSS for 4 years and have not experienced anything like the above. I have walked past homeless people on the way to the yoga studio, but they have never been threatening. We feel very safe in our apartment and walking around with our toddler. We have heard of stuff being stolen from vehicles (lock your cars people) and car jackings, but I wasn't aware this was specific to Silver Spring. I've seen reports of car jackings in a lot of places. Not doubting that you felt unsafe and had reason to do so - I do think some of the neighborhoods east of downtown Silver Spring are rough, and it dies vary by where in the Silver Spring area you are. Fortunately there are crime maps you can look at to get a sense if which neighborhoods are most impacted.

+1. And the PP's house in Sligo Park Hills is not what I would call DTSS. That is the area bordering Takoma Park off Piney Branch north of TPMS.

Technically, if she lived near Flower, she was on the other side of Sligo Creek from Sligo Park Hills. It's a little cheaper, a little more crime and a lot of it is actually in Takoma Park. SPH is its own thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the green space comment at all. SS has tons of gorgeous trails, parks, and playgrounds. Many are very close to downtown. No idea what you are talking about OP.

When we moved out of the city we bought a home in just off Sligo Creek in Silgo park hills. Cute neighborhood with interesting neighbors we thought was perfect counter to the city. In the 3 years we lived there-
1- a homeless man who slept in the park behind our house scared my wife a couple of time so she stop walking with the baby and jogging
2-our street parked car and back shed were broken into multiple time with bikes stolen out of the shed (master lock cut)
3-a car jacking block away
4-murder a block away on flower ave in the middle of the street
5-gun shots during the summer around the same flower Ave area multiple times
6-some lady at the church where we sent our son for preschool decided my wife took her parking spot and started a verbal altercation threatening to go physical. She was there for the food pantry while my wife had a small child. Even if my wife was oblivious is that really the place for thug life with kids around?

None of that has happened since we have moved to Bethesda but I will say our renters love the spot so it just shows different strokes for different folks

Sligo Park Hills is not a block from Flower Ave. it’s on the opposite side of the park. Why are you exaggerating the proximity?

[Anonymous]

Dear OP, Montgomery County has some of the worst urban planning of any place I've ever lived. It's sprawling and inconsistent with land use. I don't think DTSS is any better than Bethesda. Both have traffic and ugly buildings. Wheaton is probably worse, Rockville town square is marginally better. Bethesda has the most concentration of shops I need to go to in person, followed by Pike and Rose.

Your budget and commute are going to dictate where you can afford to live. Downtowns of these areas should come secondary.

[Anonymous]

So many weird things in this thread. OP didn’t really specify exactly what she meant by downtown Silver Spring. Many posters are talking about areas of Silver Spring that I would not consider to be the downtown area at all.
Having spent a great deal of time in both areas, I don’t understand how anyone sees an appreciable difference in aesthetics or traffic between downtown Bethesda and downtown Silver Spring. They each have pros and cons, but are both full of traffic and construction. I certainly would not base a house decision on proximity to one over the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are ethnic restaurants a plus or a minus. I say that as one rich then I lived with blocked them constantly. They allowed them but always trouble and brought up crime, quality of life issues, traffic and tons of garbage.

I am not sure what the rest of your message actually says but in regard to the first—what??? I would be very sad to live without Indian,Chinese, Thai, Italian, French, Mexican, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Greek, Salvadoran, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Central European restaurants within drivng/walking/delivery distance.

[Anonymous]

Yup. If you have an up to $1million budget, I'd focus on Kensington (even the areas zoned for Einstein). You can walk to the Kensington Farmer's Market, the MARC, antique shops, a couple coffee shops, Chipotle, and the hardware store. Some smaller development is also coming to Connecticut and Plyers Mill Rd.

In Kensington, you're 15 min away from either DTSS (to the PP- this is the are at Colesville and Georgia, bounded to the south by approximately the East-West Highway and to the north by Spring Street), Bethesda, Rockville, and Pike and Rose.

No, it's not perfect, but nothing in Montgomery County is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are ethnic restaurants a plus or a minus. I say that as one rich then I lived with blocked them constantly. They allowed them but always trouble and brought up crime, quality of life issues, traffic and tons of garbage.

I am not sure what the rest of your message actually says but in regard to the first—what??? I would be very sad to live without Indian,Chinese, Thai, Italian, French, Mexican, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Greek, Salvadoran, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Central European restaurants within drivng/walking/delivery distance.

Cheap ethnic restaurants are one of the main draws of SS!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. We have a budget that caps out at $1 million. Could we find a decent house in a nice SS neighborhood. We have two kids. We have been looking within DC but now I’m wondering if we should also look further out.

Yes. If my budget had been a touch higher, I'd have looked in the neighborhood that I think is called Twelve Oaks. This sold recently, and is central to everything: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8401-Cedar-St-Silver-Spring-MD-20910/37283013_zpid/

This is Silver Spring address but Takoma Park schools: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7919-Takoma-Ave-Silver-Spring-MD-20910/37313316_zpid/

It's shocking to me that a 1928 house with radiator heat and in desperate need of renovations, sold for almost $1M! 🤯

FYI, that has absolutely nothing to do with the home being in Silver Spring, because I'm shocked that anyone would pay that much money for such an old home anywhere in this area (not to mention, all of the issues that come with owning an old house brings).

Am I missing something here?

People love radiator heat, what are you talking about?

+1

And have you been watching the real estate market at all? The fact you are shocked that people would pay almost $1 million for an old home means you have no idea how expensive it is to live inside the beltway in Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are ethnic restaurants a plus or a minus. I say that as one rich then I lived with blocked them constantly. They allowed them but always trouble and brought up crime, quality of life issues, traffic and tons of garbage.

I am not sure what the rest of your message actually says but in regard to the first—what??? I would be very sad to live without Indian,Chinese, Thai, Italian, French, Mexican, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Greek, Salvadoran, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Central European restaurants within drivng/walking/delivery distance.

Cheap ethnic restaurants are one of the main draws of SS!!!!

+1 In fact, my only complaint about DTSS is that I wish there were a few more options outside Thai and Ethiopian cuisines. I love both, but my kingdom for the Korean place to come back, or for a good flat crust pizza (RIP Pete's)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are ethnic restaurants a plus or a minus. I say that as one rich then I lived with blocked them constantly. They allowed them but always trouble and brought up crime, quality of life issues, traffic and tons of garbage.

I am not sure what the rest of your message actually says but in regard to the first—what??? I would be very sad to live without Indian,Chinese, Thai, Italian, French, Mexican, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Greek, Salvadoran, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Central European restaurants within drivng/walking/delivery distance.

Cheap ethnic restaurants are one of the main draws of SS!!!!

I love cheap ethnic restaurants and am a short drive to them in Chevy Chase. Don’t need to live in SS. Too much multi-family housing and concrete ugliness. Even the nice neighborhoods like Woodside or other small pockets of SFH neighborhoods with pool clubs are too close to ugly strips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the green space comment at all. SS has tons of gorgeous trails, parks, and playgrounds. Many are very close to downtown. No idea what you are talking about OP.

When we moved out of the city we bought a home in just off Sligo Creek in Silgo park hills. Cute neighborhood with interesting neighbors we thought was perfect counter to the city. In the 3 years we lived there-
1- a homeless man who slept in the park behind our house scared my wife a couple of time so she stop walking with the baby and jogging
2-our street parked car and back shed were broken into multiple time with bikes stolen out of the shed (master lock cut)
3-a car jacking block away
4-murder a block away on flower ave in the middle of the street
5-gun shots during the summer around the same flower Ave area multiple times
6-some lady at the church where we sent our son for preschool decided my wife took her parking spot and started a verbal altercation threatening to go physical. She was there for the food pantry while my wife had a small child. Even if my wife was oblivious is that really the place for thug life with kids around?

None of that has happened since we have moved to Bethesda but I will say our renters love the spot so it just shows different strokes for different folks

Take that all you defensive Silver Spring residents. Or go back to NJ where you came from

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the green space comment at all. SS has tons of gorgeous trails, parks, and playgrounds. Many are very close to downtown. No idea what you are talking about OP.

When we moved out of the city we bought a home in just off Sligo Creek in Silgo park hills. Cute neighborhood with interesting neighbors we thought was perfect counter to the city. In the 3 years we lived there-
1- a homeless man who slept in the park behind our house scared my wife a couple of time so she stop walking with the baby and jogging
2-our street parked car and back shed were broken into multiple time with bikes stolen out of the shed (master lock cut)
3-a car jacking block away
4-murder a block away on flower ave in the middle of the street
5-gun shots during the summer around the same flower Ave area multiple times
6-some lady at the church where we sent our son for preschool decided my wife took her parking spot and started a verbal altercation threatening to go physical. She was there for the food pantry while my wife had a small child. Even if my wife was oblivious is that really the place for thug life with kids around?

None of that has happened since we have moved to Bethesda but I will say our renters love the spot so it just shows different strokes for different folks

Sligo Park Hills is not a block from Flower Ave. it’s on the opposite side of the park. Why are you exaggerating the proximity?

Sligo Park Hills is one traffic light along Piney branch from Flower Ave which is Sligo Park. I lived there, why are you exaggerating your comprehension of the topic?